Chasing Destiny
by KasumiLover
Summary: Single mother Misty Waterflower's life is a mess. Working as a slave in a newspaper company while raising her son as a single mother. She decides to quit her job and pursue a solo journalism career in the big city of Portland. Things don't go as she plans and soon finds herself broke and possibly homeless. That is until a mysterious man tied to Misty's past appears at the market.
1. Chapter 1

Misty sighed as she emptied her purse and counted all her money inside.

$20 and 75 cents.

She counted it again.

$20 and 75 cents.

"Damn it." Misty groaned as srealized the little amount of money she had on her. Choosing instead to skip lunch Misty placed her money back into her pocket and walked out of the cafe.

She would go hungry again.

Misty began to walk back to her daily work which was to work in the city's newspaper. As soon as she stepped afoot within the big building she was piled with paperwork.

Even though she was still on her lunch break.

As the hours passed, Misty's eyes began to grow bigger bag eyes and it didn't help that her co-workers wouldn't stop yelling at her. Telling her how slow she was at her job and shit like that.

Finally 4:30 pm rolled in.

"Yes!" Misty mentally yelled as she rapidly grabbed her coat and ran out of the building.

Free at last.

As soon as Misty stepped out of the building she breathed in heavily and admired the gorgeous view of the city. The way the trees softly ruffled against one another and how the dark gloomy sky sang a sad melancholy song to the city. Ah yes. This was Portland alright.

Misty began to walk slowly to her next destination and took her time admiring the old architectures of the city and the numerous fountains where children splashed and played in. No matter how long she lived here every day still felt like her first day in this beautiful calm city.

"Ah, Ms. Waterflower you're here! We'll go get Lloyd."

Misty smiled before she sat down on one of the office chairs and began to thank the heavens above that it was Friday.

Before Misty could check outside the window and admire the city's bridges Lloyd came running towards her with full speed.

"Mom!"

Misty smiled as she opened her arms and grabbed Lloyd before spinning him around.

"Hey, kiddo! Ready to go home?"

"Yeah!" Lloyd yelled happily before he waved goodbye to the staff and grabbed his Mom's hand.

As they exited the school's campus Misty ruffled her son's hair.

"How was school dear?"

"Great. Today in class we talked about what we wanted to be when we grow up."

"Oh yeah? What do you want to be Lloyd?"

"I don't know," Lloyd answered as he admired the trees that they both walked by.

"What did kids in your class say?"

"There was this boy who said he wanted to be a comedian like his idol."

"Who's his idol? Adam Sandler?" Misty joked as she and Lloyd continued to walk through the calm isolated streets of Portland.

"No. Brock Harrison. The guy who hosts The Late Late Show with Señor Brock." Lloyd replies.

"Oh.." Misty replies as she nods silently. During the rest of the walk back home she is silent, letting her son talk about the rest of his day, only nodding or smiling at times to him.

Lloyd was fast asleep on the couch snuggled against Misty. She turned the television volume down and softly moved her son to his bedroom. Although it was barely 6:00 pm Lloyd was already knocked out.

After arriving at their tiny apartment Misty gave him a bath and after that let him play with his toys as she cooked for him dinner. After dinner Misty made sure Lloyd finished all of his weekend homework while she paid the bills.

After both of them finished their tasks Lloyd requested to snuggle with his mother to which Misty immediately agreed to.

Misty made her way to the kitchen counter to serve herself some coffee and saw the picture that Lloyd drew for her. It was both of them in their cozy apartment. Misty smiled sadly at the picture and let the silent tears fall down her eyes.

"I'm so sorry Lloyd. So deeply sorry." Misty whispered as she softly traced Lloyd's picture.

She was broke and alone. She was a single mother and made below the poverty line. However, her life was a beautiful mess thanks to Lloyd. Her extraordinary son. The joy in her life.

Misty walked towards her apartment's huge window and was captivated by the breathtaking scenery of the city. Rain began to pour down rapidly and wildly against her window but here she was, inside and cozy.

Misty closed her eyes and stayed silent, only listening to the soft tapping of the rain.


	2. Chapter 2

Misty hugged her son before she let him free again.

"Don't go far, Lloyd. We need to go grocery shopping soon."

"Alright!" Lloyd said before getting on the playground swing. Misty smiled at her son's hyper energy before she frowned at the piece of paper in her lap.

Misty has decided to quit her job. All those years to earn a master's degree in journalism so, in the end, she could be the servant for the manager assistant's helper. She wasn't taking anymore of their bullshit. She was going to be an independent blogger and journalist.

However, writing an issue was hard. What could she write about? After 15 minutes of thinking of an issue and coming up with nothing, Misty called Lloyd so they could go grocery shopping.

"My feet are tired, Mommy." Lloyd pouted as they stepped into the market.

"Sorry, bud. I know it was a very long walk but I-"

"I know Mommy. We didn't have money for the bus." Lloyd said with a sad smile.

Times like this made Misty want to cry in pain just thinking of her son already worrying about money.

Misty looked inside her wallet again and looked back at her tired son before she crouched down his level.

"Because you've been such a great son so far you can get a treat that doesn't exceed over three dollars." Misty offered to where Lloyd happily clapped his hands before he rushed off to the next aisle. Misty sighed tiredly before she crossed out toothpaste from her grocery list. Guess Lloyd would be sharing his toothpaste with her for the rest of the month.

After getting all of her grocery items Misty became concern about why Lloyd wasn't back. "Lloyd?" Misty called out.

No reply.

"Lloyd please come over this instant. This isn't funny." Misty said now panicking.

People passing by looked at her weirdly.

"Lloyd?!" Misty began to yell as her heartbeat began to increase rapidly.

"Lloyd!"

Before Misty could start screaming Lloyd came running to her with a bag of fresh bakery bag in his hand.

"Mom! Guess what I got. I go-"

"WHERE IN GOD'S NAME WERE YOU?!" Misty yelled outraged.

Lloyd looked at her scared before he replied looking down at his feet.

"I'm sorry if I scared you, Mom... I didn't mean to."

Misty sighed tiredly before she hugged Lloyd tightly.

"Don't you ever do that to me, young man."

"Understood mom."

"Now what were you saying about the thing you got?" Misty asked smiling softly at her son.

"I got jelly donuts!" Lloyd answered proudly before he showed the whole bag to her.

"Hmm. Jelly donuts. Whenever I was sad I would eat these bad boys." Misty said sadly as a sad painful memory flashed within her eyes.

Misty raised an eyebrow at jelly donuts bag as it was stamped meaning it was already paid.

"Lloyd ... where did you get this?" Misty asked confused.

"Oh, that's the other thing. You didn't need to worry about me cause I was with this nice man who bought me these donuts." Lloyd said cheerfully.

"But Lloyd. I already told you to not talk with-"

"Ah, Lloyd there you are! You kiddo sure run fast!" a man said as he ran to where Misty and Lloyd were standing.

Misty studied the man and was perplexed at his taste in fashion. A huge hoodie with a cap on and rain boots.

"Hey, Mr. This is my mom. Sorry, I left you behind. She was calling me."

The man slowly raised his head up to meet Misty's eyes and gasped as his eyes widen.

Misty stepped backward and gasped lightly at the man standing before her with her son right beside him.

"Mis...Mis...Mist. Misty?" the man stuttered softly before in a quick flash Misty dropped her basket full of items and yanked Lloyd with her running at full speed.

"Misty wait!" the man yelled running after her but Misty paid no attention to her broken heart as she carried Lloyd out of the market area and ran as if her life depended on it.

And it sure did.


	3. Chapter 3

Lloyd quietly played with his pasta before he looked at his mother who had a worried look on her face.

After dinner, Lloyd began to search for something to read in the bookshelf while Misty began to think of ways for today's incident to never repeat again.

If moving cities was the only way she'll do it.

No matter what.

Misty was taken back to from her train of thoughts when Lloyd walked towards her and asked with a puzzled face "Who are they, mom?"

Misty took the book out of Lloyd's hands and was surprised to see it was one of her old college journalism class books. She opened it to the page Lloyd showed her and almost dropped the book to the floor when she saw the taped picture inside the book.

The picture was her in her freshman year of high school with her two best friends...

They were all laughing and hugging in the picture.

Misty has tears streaming down her eyes and forgot that Lloyd was standing right beside her.

"Who is he mom?" Lloyd said pointing to a man in the middle.

"Love," Misty whispered.

"He was my love," Misty replied more loudly to Lloyd who could only flash her a sad smile.

Days turned into weeks and any signs of the grocery dude were gone. However now Misty struggled to make ends meet. She struggled so hard to pay rent and food while having a solo job which wasn't going good as every magazine headquarters rejected her issue.

Misty's mental and physical health began to suffer even more to the point she would get headaches frequently.

After five months Misty was officially broke and on the verge of getting kicked out of her apartment. She didn't have any money nor food on her and if she continued in this path social service would take custody of her child.

Lloyd wasn't aware of any of the issues Misty was going through and she wanted to keep it that way.

Misty smiled weakly at the cashier in front of her and got her bag of fruit and was surprised to see Lloyd was missing.

"Not again," Misty muttered before she started looking for him.

Misty found him 3 minutes later outside the store on the porch. He was petting a big golden retriever with the name tag "Pikachu".

As soon as Lloyd saw Misty he came rushing towards her. Misty's face lit up and scooped her son while she kissed his cheeks.

However, Lloyd's attention was behind her as Lloyd stayed still, staring at the person behind them.

The man looked at the kid in Misty's arms and was shocked when the kid extended his hand towards him.

His heart fluttered. He was captivated. Something from this boy made him drawn to. Something about him was so familiar.

The man just smiled softly at the boy.

Lloyd continued to outstretch his arms to the man. Wanting to touch the man.

"He's your love," Lloyd whispered in Misty's ear as he tried to reach him.

Misty froze in place as her son kept trying to outstretch his arms even further.

"Enough Lloyd." Misty said sharply which caused Lloyd to yell "NOOO. IT'S HIM."

"WHO ARE YOU?" Lloyd yelled at the man before he burst out crying. He was so confused as to why one of the men in the picture was right behind his mom but she didn't want to see him.

"I'm so sorry if I made you cry. Please, buddy, let's just go home." Misty said quietly as she began to walk away.

"Misty..." she heard the man say in a weak voice behind her.

Misty bit her lips and didn't dare to turn around. Her eyes were already red from tears making their way through her cheeks.

"Misty.. please." Misty now hugged Lloyd tighter as she felt the man stepping closer to her.

"Misty please give him to me."

Misty shook her head. Lloyd's head was softly against her shoulder as he was still crying silently.

"Please Mist."

Misty turned around slowly and now really looked at the man before her.

He changed much since the last time she saw him. He grew taller and was more well built. He had nice tan skin and damn it he still made her weak to her knees.

The man took this opportunity to scoop Lloyd out of Misty's arms to which Misty allowed.


	4. Chapter 4

"Please be gentle..." Misty finally said to the man who just nodded softly in response.

The man was shocked to find no ring in Misty's wedding finger and realized she was a single mother.

He stopped looking at her and immediately focused on Lloyd. He let Lloyd settle by his arms and examine his physical features.

The boy's dark night-black hair, his lips, his big round doe brown eyes, and his sun-kissed skin.

All similar features like him...

That's when he knew.

Tears started streaming down his cheeks as his hold on Lloyd got tighter.

He then looked up at Misty and said in a firm voice, "We need to talk."

As soon as Misty opened the door to her apartment the man beside her just widen his eyes but stayed quiet.

Lloyd was fast asleep in his arms while the man's dog, Pikachu, slowly leaped onto the couch and immediately fell asleep.

The man looked at Misty then quickly focused his attention at Lloyd. Misty then mumbled softly after placing down the grocery bag, "Follow me."

After the man placed Lloyd in his room and left Misty alone so she could tug him in bed he slowly began to examine the small apartment.

God, it was awful.

The apartment was filled with large windows showing the beautiful city which was the only good perk.

The rest was awful.

The living room was so small that it was straight away connected with the small dining room. The kitchen was just a small corner right next to the dining area with a small kitchen counter.

Apart from that their bathroom was just a small five feet area room with only a small sink, toilet, and shower.

After the man placed away from the little items of grocery Misty slowly came out of Lloyd's room with a mad look in her face.

"You saw him. Now get out."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

The man shook his head as he repeated, "No. Not anymore. Tell me Misty. The truth now."

Misty glared at the man before her as she started cursing at him.

"What do you want from me?"

"The truth! Why did you leave?"

"I left?! Bullshit. I didn't leave. If I remember correctly you were about to leave me?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?!"

"I woke up that night and heard your talk with Professor Oak. He was saying how you had a whole bright future ahead of yourself with that full-ride scholarship... but that meant you had to leave me."

"Misty I-"

"Shut up. Let me finish."

The man closed his mouth and let Misty finish her story.

"I found out I was pregnant and I couldn't bare knowing the fact you were going to leave me. You promised me to always be there for me but you loved your job even more. The dinner night when you brought up that fact of breaking up that's when I knew... that you were a dick."

"The hell?! Did it never occur to you that telling me I had a son would change my mind?!"

"If knowing you had a girlfriend who loved you so deeply didn't convince you to stay then what difference would it be if you knew you had a son!" Misty yelled.

Misty then walked towards the apartment door and opened it as she said spat out, "Get out. Get out of my home. Get out of my life. Get out of my son's life."

The man looked at Misty with tears down his eyes as he walked slowly towards the door. Misty was controlling her breathing as tears streamed down her eyes.

The man stopped right on the verge of the door frame as he said, "I never accepted that scholarship you know? I couldn't bare the thought of being separated from you."

Misty covered her mouth with her hand as she cried silently but the man still continued to talk.

He chuckled lightly as he said, "It's funny though. In the end, I did end up getting separated from you thanks to some fucked up shit."

Before the man could fully step out of the apartment he was stopped when he felt two arms hug his waist from behind and Misty's crying face on his back.


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm sorry Ash. I'm so so sorry." Misty sobbed as she tightens her arms around him.

Ash started to cry before turned around and hugged Misty closer to him.

"I'm sorry Misty. I'm so sorry." Ash cried out as Misty sobbed uncontrollably.

Quickly Ash caressed one of Misty's cheeks and wiped her tears away.

* * *

After crying their hearts out both Misty and Ash were lying together holding each other on the floor staring up at the ceiling.

Ash tightens his hold on Misty as she placed her head on his chest, quietly listening to his heartbeats.

"It has only ever beaten for you. It always has." Ash confesses as he kisses the crown of Misty's head.

Misty just hums in reply.

"What do you Misty? Like in workwise."

"I'm currently unemployed. No publishing company wants to hire me."

Ash stayed silent.

"What about you?"

"I'm a movie director."

"I knew it."

"What? No way."

"Your pen name sucks ass. Ashton K. What the hell is that. If you wanted to be secretive you totally blew it."

"Hush you."

"So... you won 2 Oscars and broke box office records in the last six years since the last time we met."

Silence.

"You made history, are successful, and happy while I'm broke and a complete failure struggling to raise a fatherless son."

"Don't say that Mist. You raised Lloyd to be such a young brilliant kid. You did more than what I ever did."

"Oh really? Which is?"

"Happiness. You made your life happy.."

"And you didn't Mr. Oscar winner?"

"No. I was never happy since the night you left."

Misty stayed silent as the guilt drowned her. She literally broke his heart. In their junior year of University.

"Move in with me Misty." Ash finally confessed as he looked at Misty.

"What?"

"I never stopped loving you. My heart has been yours since the second I met you."

"Oh, Ash... but you live all the way in Manhattan."

"And? You're acting like if it was never your home as well."

Misty bit her lower lip before she replied honestly, "I'm scared. All the people I walked away from their lives are there. What would they think of me?"

Ash softly kissed her forehead and smiled softly at her.

"They would cry of joy when they see you appear in their lives again. Brock misses you, Tracey misses you... hell even Gary misses you. All of our friends deeply miss you."

Misty just smiles sadly at Ash.

Ash then takes Misty's hand and brings it towards his lips. He kisses them ever so softly leaving Misty shocked.

"A...Ash..." Misty gasped at him, paralyzed by the shock that she found herself unable to react. However the second his chocolate brown loving eyes softened into a loving smile, everything melted away. It was only him and her. Misty entrenched herself in his embrace as he wrapped his arms around her tightly, burning the emotion of never seeing or holding her again.

"I'll never let you go..." he whispered into her ear, his words answering her thoughts. "Not again." Misty sobbed lightly as she placed her head in the crook of his neck. "No matter what, I'll never let you go." he pulled apart from their embrace and met her aqua eyes- the eyes he so dearly missed staring into.

Misty blinked a few tears away. "I've missed you...so so much," she replied with honesty emanated from her eyes, shimmering under the moonlight of the room. "I'm so sorry for the things I said or did back then. I...I didn't mean any of it. I wasn't thinking straight... Ash, I swear I-"

Ash lips pursed into a smile as he shook his head silently disregarding her apology. It wasn't important now. He reached towards her and brushed a stray streak of hair behind her ear, never taking his eyes off her.

"I love you." he declared looking at her with so much affection. "I love you Misty Waterflower," he spoke again making Misty fell as she might melt under his burning gaze.

"I love you, Ash Ketchum," Misty replied softly before Ash swiftly covered his lips with her's. Electricity burned between them as their lips met in a kiss filled with all of the emotions pent up inside them.

"No matter how many times I kiss you it will never be enough. I will continue to kiss you for the rest of my life and if there's a life after death I will continue to kiss you." Ash whispered before he pulled Misty again for another deep kiss.


	6. Epilogue

"And for tonight's special guest give it up for the one and only brilliant academy winner and oscar winner...Ash Ketchum!"

Ash smiled as he walked on stage and waved at the wild audience before him.

Brock laughed at his best friend's cool moves before he shook his hand and led him to sit down on one of the couches.

"So Ash. My man. My brother. My compadre! Tell us. What is new in your life? I heard you recently got engaged to a beauty of a journalist who works for TIME magazine."

Ash laughs lightly at Brock's teasing.

"Yeah. I recently proposed to my college girlfriend. Something I should've done years ago."

"Tell me about it! It says in our sources you brought her all the way from Portland. That's way on the other side of the country- what in God's name were you doing all the way there?!"

The audience laughs at Ash's blushing face.

"I was actually in Portland for a business meeting. I was getting permission to use a location for my upcoming film when I bumped into her and hey- the rest is history."

"What was she doing over there in Portland?"

Ash looks at Brock then is silent for a moment. As if he were remembering all last month's events.

"She was chasing her dream. Her dream ended up being here all along. However, I was also chasing something as well."

"What was it?"

"I was chasing destiny... without planning it. I was chasing destiny which happened to be her. She was my destiny."

A/N

I had no idea what inspired me to write this story at 3 in the morning. Sorry for any grammar errors. I was still half asleep.


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